Best Hitch

[ESDA]

So I am looking at getting into a fifth wheel coming from a tow behind. On my trailer I have a Hensley and love it. I see that the also have the Trailersaver. Trying to find a good hitch that is easy to use and safe. Anyone use these? Any thoughts? Also looking it seems that a lot of people like the B&W 20K Companion. Any responses would be appreciated.

[cummins2014]

fj12ryder wrote:
Okay, show the pictures of a failed B&W hitch. The only one I know about was involved in a roll-over accident. I've never heard of one failing when just doing hard braking or maneuvering.

How many times have they redesigned the Andersen hitch? Seems like letting your customers be your beta testers is kind of a bad idea. 🙂

It's been redesigned just the one time as far as I know. Yes they had a couple of them bend, but the fifth wheel remained attached , I know the one referenced there was no damage to truck, or fifth wheel . There are thousands of those Andersen hitches out there ,and more ,and more are going to them.

Do we know for sure in the other thread where he dropped the fifth wheel with a B&W that is was not a mechanical failure ??? I believe you B&W owners believe thy cannot fail ,but being in an industry where I seen all kinds of mechanical failures with machinery I know anything can break or fail .

[JIMNLIN]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:

op asks wrote:
best hitch ?

This is why its not a good idea to ask which hitch or any product is best on this forum.
Some B&W owners like to bash the brand another has mentioned even though the B&W owner never owned the hitch.
I'm not a Andersen user but thousands of satisfied users out here with no problems.

As another poster mentioned we have several good RV type 5th wheel hitches to choose from. B&W is just one of them.

There is no best 5th wheel hitch brand/type/style other than the one we own.

Would you use an Andersen to haul a HEAVY RV???

I'm not a hitch brand fan or hitch brand basher but as long as the heavy rv didn't exceed any hitch brands we have recommended weight specs would be fine with me.

However if the RV trailer was over 16k-18k gross I would choose a air ride hitch. Some thing the OP may want to look into if he's going to a heavy rv trailer.

[Cummins12V98]

Michelle.S wrote:
I've said it numerous times: Why do people buy the biggest/heaviest Fifth Wheel they can, then look for the Lightest Weight Hitch they can find.

EXACTLY!!! ORRRR think they can pull a DRV with a SRW.

[ford_truck_guy]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:
I think Mine may be cleaner Ron :h Just sayin !:B

Mine how has many trips and endless Sunshine and it shows!

To be fair, mine only has probably 8,000 miles on it at best..

[Michelle_S]

I've said it numerous times: Why do people buy the biggest/heaviest Fifth Wheel they can, then look for the Lightest Weight Hitch they can find.

[Cummins12V98]

TXiceman wrote:
Friend had a 42' Mobil Suites that she pulled with a B&W Companion hitch in a Ram 3500 DRW. The trailer was broad sided (dead center) and the truck and trailer were dragged some 75 feet before all stopped. The B&W and truck was over at 45 degrees, and the trailer on its side. The hitch was still latched and attached to the truck. The pin box was still on the trailer but bent and torn. The trailer was totaled.

The tow truck righted the trailer and the truck rolled back to all wheels down. The hydraulic jacks still worked, and they lifted the trailer up and the B&W hitch unlatched, and they pulled the truck from under the trailer. The truck was undamaged except for the bed damage.

Honestly do you think the Andersen could take that kind of impact? I am a retired mechanical engineer, and I would not have an Andersen hitch in my truck. It will work in normal towing, but any excessive impacts can collapse the hitch.

If you have to pull a 5er and a goose neck, the B&W Turn Over Ball and the Companion is your answer.

Ken

This one???

[Cummins12V98]

JIMNLIN wrote:

op asks wrote:
best hitch ?

This is why its not a good idea to ask which hitch or any product is best on this forum.
Some B&W owners like to bash the brand another has mentioned even though the B&W owner never owned the hitch.
I'm not a Andersen user but thousands of satisfied users out here with no problems.

As another poster mentioned we have several good RV type 5th wheel hitches to choose from. B&W is just one of them.

There is no best 5th wheel hitch brand/type/style other than the one we own.

Would you use an Andersen to haul a HEAVY RV???

[Cummins12V98]

TravelinDog wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Flashman wrote:
Andersen - many advantages - light weight, easy to hook at odd angles and uneven ground.

YEP,

How do other "traditional" 5th wheel hitches fare after an accident like the one that caused the Anderson hitch to buckle like in the pic.
I'm sure those Anderson hitches don't just buckle for no reason.

In fact they do buckle! Under hard braking they simply did collapse. Now you get the Ultimate 2.

Look at their promotional video that shows how much direction downward weight they can stand. Do they show a lateral force test???? NOPE!!!

[Cummins12V98]

ford truck guy wrote:
I think Mine may be cleaner Ron :h Just sayin !:B

Mine how has many trips and endless Sunshine and it shows!

[JIMNLIN]

op asks wrote:
best hitch ?

This is why its not a good idea to ask which hitch or any product is best on this forum.
Some B&W owners like to bash the brand another has mentioned even though the B&W owner never owned the hitch.
I'm not a Andersen user but thousands of satisfied users out here with no problems.

As another poster mentioned we have several good RV type 5th wheel hitches to choose from. B&W is just one of them.

There is no best 5th wheel hitch brand/type/style other than the one we own.

[fj12ryder]

Okay, show the pictures of a failed B&W hitch. The only one I know about was involved in a roll-over accident. I've never heard of one failing when just doing hard braking or maneuvering.

How many times have they redesigned the Andersen hitch? Seems like letting your customers be your beta testers is kind of a bad idea. 🙂

[cummins2014]

fj12ryder wrote:

TravelinDog wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Flashman wrote:
Andersen - many advantages - light weight, easy to hook at odd angles and uneven ground.

YEP,

How do other "traditional" 5th wheel hitches fare after an accident like the one that caused the Anderson hitch to buckle like in the pic.
I'm sure those Anderson hitches don't just buckle for no reason.

This wasn't an accident, this was the result of heavy, perhaps panic, braking. There have been a couple, but haven't heard of any recently.

And most likely you won't . They redesigned the hitch after a couple of these that bent . What has failed to be mentioned was that nothing was damaged ,and the fifth wheel remained attached .

If its a fifth wheel hitch ,its had a failed or broke at some point . The B&W is not exempt .

[TXiceman]

Friend had a 42' Mobil Suites that she pulled with a B&W Companion hitch in a Ram 3500 DRW. The trailer was broad sided (dead center) and the truck and trailer were dragged some 75 feet before all stopped. The B&W and truck was over at 45 degrees, and the trailer on its side. The hitch was still latched and attached to the truck. The pin box was still on the trailer but bent and torn. The trailer was totaled.

The tow truck righted the trailer and the truck rolled back to all wheels down. The hydraulic jacks still worked, and they lifted the trailer up and the B&W hitch unlatched, and they pulled the truck from under the trailer. The truck was undamaged except for the bed damage.

Honestly do you think the Andersen could take that kind of impact? I am a retired mechanical engineer, and I would not have an Andersen hitch in my truck. It will work in normal towing, but any excessive impacts can collapse the hitch.

If you have to pull a 5er and a goose neck, the B&W Turn Over Ball and the Companion is your answer.

Ken

[fj12ryder]

TravelinDog wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Flashman wrote:
Andersen - many advantages - light weight, easy to hook at odd angles and uneven ground.

YEP,

How do other "traditional" 5th wheel hitches fare after an accident like the one that caused the Anderson hitch to buckle like in the pic.
I'm sure those Anderson hitches don't just buckle for no reason.

This wasn't an accident, this was the result of heavy, perhaps panic, braking. There have been a couple, but haven't heard of any recently.

[TravelinDog]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Flashman wrote:
Andersen - many advantages - light weight, easy to hook at odd angles and uneven ground.

YEP,

How do other "traditional" 5th wheel hitches fare after an accident like the one that caused the Anderson hitch to buckle like in the pic.
I'm sure those Anderson hitches don't just buckle for no reason.